The Spill: SA Opens

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Welcome to LNGenZ’s roundup of the trending topics in the news this week.

Modern Saudi Arabia to Welcome Tourists

Saudi Arabia has finally opened its doors to allow tourists from other countries to visit. In September 2019, the country launched a visa regime that will allow visitors from 49 countries to enter. Previously, visas were mostly restricted to business travelers and Muslim pilgrims, who had to get special permission to visit the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. Non-pilgrim tourists will still find it difficult to visit these holy places as permission is restricted.

Saudi Arabia is known for its strict dress code and rules of conduct, especially regarding females, but the newest laws will be more relaxed, appealing to Westerners. Before the new traveling laws, men and women had to be segregated in public places and women were required to wear the all-covering black robes known as “abayas.” This does not mean that women will be able to dress as they do in their home countries; they will still be required to dress modestly, including at public beaches. Alcohol, which is illegal in Saudi Arabia, will remain banned even to foreigners on vacation.

Feminist and Gender Neutral Toys Launched

A recent trend shows toy manufacturers following along with the social and political issues regarding gender. Seemingly on the bandwagon already, Hasbro recently introduced Ms. Monopoly where women make more money than men. Mattel, producer of the iconic Barbie line of dolls, has launched a genderless toy that can morph into male or female with a supplied set of accessories. Under pressure, the country of France has announced a gender-related “charter of voluntary commitments” for toy manufacturers and retailers to follow.

French officials claim that gendered toys – the Barbie series of Ken and Skipper, G.I. Joe action figures, science kits, and kitchen play sets – cause pain and suffering to the children who receive them. They have established guidelines on how to market, advertise, and display toys, as well as helping consumers find the best toy without attaching gender labels. Sales associates are now asked to inquire the child’s age – not preference or gender.

President Trump May Face Impeachment – But Why?

There has been a lot of talk in the news of impeaching President Donald Trump. Democrats in Congress – especially in the House of Representatives – have been talking about impeaching him since he first took office, but why? Will the House actually impeach Trump this time, and if so, what will happen?

The United States Constitution gives a process for removing a president who has broken the law, but impeachment is just the first step.

To begin the process, the House Judiciary Committee must decide there is enough evidence to impeach, then draft Articles of Impeachment. If the Judiciary Committee decides to impeach, the whole House of Representatives then votes on it. When more than half of members of the House of Representatives agree, then the president is considered impeached. But this is just the formal charge against the president. It is like the indictment, or the formal accusation. This has happened to only three of our 45 presidents so far.